Justify overtakes Bolt d’Oro in Pool 3 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager

The mutuel field of “All Others” closed as the 4-1 favorite in Pool 3 of the 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager on Sunday evening, but among the individual interests, late steam on #12 JUSTIFY pushed him into 6-1, relegating #3 BOLT D’ORO to the 7-1 third choice. 

The market move was driven by Justify’s romp in Sunday’s 5TH race at Santa Anita, his first against winners and around two turns. Off at 1:35 p.m. PDT (4:35 EDT), the allowance came just in time for the betting public to respond before Pool 3 ended at 6 p.m. ET. Although the Bob Baffert trainee must still prove himself versus the established Derby contenders, and buck Derby history as a horse who didn’t race at two, the allure of an unbeaten colt of his profile is powerful.

Until Justify took the stage, Bolt d’Oro had appeared to have a grasp on individual favoritism, thanks to his titanic effort against #15 MCKINZIE in Saturday’s San Felipe (G2). Despite needing the race off the four-month layoff, and after missing his intended comeback in the February 10 San Vicente (G2), Bolt d’Oro slugged it out in a stretch-long duel and missed narrowly. The verdict on the track was overturned in the stewards’ room, with McKinzie demoted for interference in deep stretch, and he closed at 9-1 in Pool 3.

The rest were in double-digits. Three closed below 20-1 – #10 GOOD MAGIC (11-1), the two-year-old male champion and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner who lost support after his loss in the Fountain of Youth (G2); #1 AUDIBLE (13-1), the Holy Bull (G2) winner; and #20 SOLOMINI (17-1), unraced since being disqualified as the first-past-the-post in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) and bound for this Saturday’s Rebel (G2).

Pool 3, held from Friday through Sunday, ran concurrently with the only Kentucky Oaks Future Wager for 2018. Here again the “All Others” option was favored, closing at 5-1. #12 MIDNIGHT BISOU edged #14 MONOMOY GIRL for individual favoritism, both at 6-1, but with marginally more in the gross win pool for Midnight Bisou. The one horse who’s beaten Midnight Bisou, #8 DREAM TREE, was the other in single digits at 7-1.

In the inaugural Oaks/Derby Future Double, individual favorites Justify and Midnight Bisou were likewise the preferred tandem, and they would pay $52.40 if both coming through for their backers in this wager.

The final Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Pool 4, is scheduled for April 6-8.